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Family Members Who Were Convicted In Mail Fraud Conspiracy Involving A Local Travel Agency Are Sentenced

DALLAS — A Dallas resident and his wife, along with her son, who were arrested by U.S. Postal Inspectors in January 2013 in Amityville, New York, on charges outlined in a federal indictment returned in the Northern District of Texas, have been convicted and sentenced for their respective roles in a mail fraud conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Roxana Flores, 43, also of Dallas, was sentenced today, by Chief U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater, to 24 months in federal prison. Her husband, Jorge Armando Flores, 45, was sentenced in October 2013 to 46 months in federal prison. Her son, Julio C. Funes-Alas, 27, also of Dallas, was sentenced in December 2013 to 24 months in federal prison. Jorge and Roxana Flores were ordered to pay $2,056,162 in restitution, jointly and severally. Julio Fuenes-Alas was ordered to pay $511,865 in restitution.

Jorge and Roxana Flores were employed as sales agents in the Latin Department by U.S.A. Gateway, Inc., an international wholesale travel agent, located on Spring Valley Road in Dallas. Gateway was registered with the Airline Reporting Corporation which enabled it to purchase airline tickets directly from the airlines. Gateway then sold these tickets to retail travel agencies, known as “subagents,” who would in turn sell the tickets to their customers. Among the subagents that purchased airline tickets from Gateway were Ramon Travel & Services, Inc., located in Providence, Rhode Island; Your Travel Agent Con Sabor Latino, located in Carrollton, Texas; and Jeanette Travel, located in Lowell, Massachusetts.

According to documents filed in the case, from at least March 2007 until approximately August 2011, the defendants conspired with each other, and others, to commit mail fraud. Defendants obtained subagents’ checks that had been mailed to Gateway and diverted them to bank accounts they had established for their joint use and financial benefit. These accounts were opened in names similar to Gateway and the defendants would write checks and make ATM withdrawals on these accounts for their personal benefit and use.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Stokes prosecuted.